Betsy Ross: The First American Folk Hero

Did you know that the American flag represents our country? Betsy Ross was the proud woman who made the first American flag. Betsy had a positive roll on the revolution. Keep reading if you want to learn more about the Revolution and Betsy Ross’s adventure before, during, and her impact on it.

Mae West once said “Good women are no fun… the only good woman I can recall in history was Betsy Ross. And all she ever made was a flag.” Mae West did not just say this quote because she was a struggling actress that needed respect in the past, she said this on Betsy’s behalf that died trying to earn respect from other people including us. Even though she was castigated by many, over the course of her eighty-four years on earth she accomplished more than any could imagine like sewing for the Revolutionary War, joined a war supporting Quaker group, created the nation’s flag, and many other accomplishments that went unwritten in American history. Some might say that American hero, George Washington lied that he asked Betsy Ross to make the first flag American and that all two of her three husbands died because of her making the flag because of evidence.

The word hero may bring to mind images of spiderman or batman, but it doesn’t take a talented illustrator to create a hero. A heroic action is a sacrifice made in order to reach a higher level of society. In this sense, the age of exploration that began in the fifteen hundreds is classified as a heroic event. The explorers who paved the way to modern civilization opened opportunities for technology, increased diversity, and a stronger economy. The effect their voyages have had on the world today outweigh the mistakes they made along the way.

She was, without a doubt, a revolutionary leader. She was famous for many things, but perhaps the action that really boosted her up into history was the fact that she sewed the very first U.S. Flag in 1776. But that wasn't the first flag she's sewn.

For instance, Washington is represented in a strikingly idealized pose. Additionally, one can see in the upper left hand corner the morning star which lends the painting a Christian significance since this star guided the three wise men to Jesus. The flag gives the overall awareness of a patriotic notion, however was not designed at the time. According to Picturing America, “The Continental Congress did not officially adopt the flag shown in the painting until June 14, 1777, but according to tradition, Betsy Ross is said to have completed one of this design in late May or early June of 1776 at the request of George Washington and two other members of the Congress”

Although she never kept a diary, it is true that she ran an upholstery shop, which made flags for the government until the mid-1800s. It is also recorded that she eloped to marry her first husband, that she was widowed three times and she was dedicated to her country. Every kid has learned that Betsy Ross sewed the first flag after George Washington, who went to church with Betsy, personally came to her and asked her to make the flag. George Washington gave Betsy a sketch of what he wanted the flag to look like. He wanted six pointed stars, but Betsy suggested five pointed stars because of the time frame and she supposedly was able to make a five pointed star in one snip.

Winning Independence The American Revolution was a war of dependence that consisted of thirteen colonies declared against British’s political ideas and religions during 1765 to 1783. Under the achievement of revolution, there were the Continental Amy—which was created by George Washington, who was a commander-in-chief, and John Adams—Congress, who helped to raise the Continental Amy, and large groups of colonists. In addition to those groups of revolutionists, women were also one of major forces that helped waged war against the British redcoats and soldiers. These women had participated and contributed to the outcome of the revolution.

Florence Kelley was a famous Progressive-Era social reformer known for her protective legislation on working women and children. From a young age, she committed herself to social reform like at Hull House in Chicago and also as the first general secretary of the National Consumers League. She later helped start National Association for the Advancement of Colored People(NAACP) who policy was “to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.” The famous case of Muller V. Oregon showed Florence’s conquest to establish labor laws against working long hours and bad working conditions. This case paved a way into new ideas and eventually created the labor unions we have today

Clara Barton Throughout the course of human history, nothing we do has ever had as rapid and drastic an effect on history as war. Disasters would be near second place, and coincidentally Clara Barton affected both. Out of a multitude of achievements things, she was a nurse during the Civil War, did many things women of her day could not, and started the American Red Cross. Clara Barton was revolutionary for her influence on society and medicine in American history.

Today she is known as the backbone of the Civil Rights Movement and considered as one of the most influential African American women activist/advocate that aided in not only African American rights but human rights as a whole. Born in a small town, Baker was raised watchfully alongside her grandmother, Josephine Elizabeth “Bet” Ross. Her parents, Georgianna Ross and Blake Baker, were overjoyed when she was born on December 13, 1903, in Norfolk, Virginia.

Betsy Ross 's birth name was Elizabeth Griscom. She was born on January 1, 1752, in a colonial city of Philadelphia. Her parents were Rebecca James Griscom and Samuel Griscom, they were both Quakers. Out of seventeen children, she was the eighth. Betsy, as a young girl, attended to a Quaker school. She learned how to sew mattresses, chair covers, and window blinds by going to William Webster 's workshop. Then in 1773, she went across the river to go to New Jersey, and elope with John Ross. The Rosses opened up a Upholstery shop, after that, John went to go join the militia, but died after two years of marriage.

May 1776, “ ...three members of a secret committee from the Continental Congress came to call upon her. Those representatives, George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross, asked her to sew the first flag. George Washington was then the head of the Continental Army. Robert Morris, an owner of vast amounts of land, was perhaps the wealthiest citizen in the Colonies. Colonel George Ross was a respected Philadelphian and also the uncle of her late husband, John Ross” (“Betsy Ross”).

She also acted as a civil war nurse, an advocate for civil rights and a leader in the underground railroad. Harriett Tubman, born Araminta Ross, was birthed in 1819 or 1820 as a slave. She changed her name to Harriett in honor of her mother and propositioned her owner to marry a freedman John Tubman. Her owners agreed to the marriage if she continued to work their plantation. Harriett led a challenging life and relied on her faith in God to assist her in her freedom and freedom of others.

Harriet Tubman is a larger than life icon and an American hero. Harriet was born into a family of eleven children who were born into slavery. Benjamin Ross and Harriet Greene were her parents, and lived on a plantation in Dorchester County, Maryland. Harriet was put to work by the age of five, and served as a maid and children’s nurse. At the age of six Araminta was taken from her parents to live with James Cook, whose wife was a weaver, to learn the skills of weaving.

She helped develop the underground railroad, which helped many slaves escape to freedom. Harriet was born into slavery in Maryland, her birth name was Araminta. Growing up, her life was full of physical violence and pain. Many of the injuries that she sustained caused permanent damage which haunted her